FCTA sets to demolish structures on waterways in Utako, Gwarinpa

By Hudu Yakubu Abuja

The Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has revealed plans to commence massive demolition of illegal structures in Utako and parts of Gwarinpa water way areas of the territory.

The Director, Development Control, Tpl Muktar Galadima who disclosed this in Abuja during a sensitization exercise, added that the department remained committed to maintain the original design of Abuja master plan, by riding the city of illegal structures that are capable of defacing the nation’s capital.

Mr Galadima explained that the Utako area had been recently marked for demolition, which he further said would be demolished and handed over to the Nigerian Police to build its Utako Police station.

He also revealed that the concern to the department is the rate of illegal developments around waters ways in Gwarinpa corner shops.

According to him, “the reason why we have to visit Utako again is because the police force have a plot there that is about 2 hectares and they have submitted their design to develop the place and we processed the plan and granted approval to them to commence development. and we were involved in the process of negotiation and compensation of the people that were affected but thought it wise that it would be important to sensitize the people occupying the area so it will not be some sort of coronation and that is we said it important to meet with the people and explained to them about our intention to demolish the area.”

“We are following due process the owners of plot have submitted their plan and we have approve it so now they want to commence development.”

” There was an understanding between the police force and the Indigenous Communities and FCT administration in this context the Development Control. Within the process of development some of the indigenous houses will be affected and we have meet with them and resolve that some them can stay with their kids and kinsman, while that can find else will look at on how the police force can accommodate them in such places.”

” We have marked those structures already and we intend to move there by Wednesday and Thursday.”

” One of our major objective as government is to ensure the citizens of the territory of their safety and project their wellbeing also. Looking at that place we will see that there’s a stream channel that is gradually being constructed by the corner shops and in liaising with the federal housing authority we went there today to sensitize the people that this development can not be accepted because it is constituting a natural stooge channel and it is an illegal development because the owner of plot from the federal housing authority have written to us to come and partner with them to see how to clear the nuisance with the Gwarinpa estate.”

“They do not need any compensation and they about 35 structures to be demolition and we have served them notice” he said.